Every day can be such a struggle for busy families, especially since back-to-school season is here in full force. Thankfully I had celebrity chef Cat Cora , first-ever female Iron Chef from Food Network, come to my kitchen and show me how to make 5 meals with the same amount of time it normally takes for 1. Yup, you read correctly! With a little preplanning, you can save time and energy in the kitchen and focus more on family bonding. Better yet, get those kids off their devices and tv and have them help out in the kitchen! Thanks to Access, we were able to catch all of this on camera! Sign me up Cat because I’m all about that smart living hustle!
With the main ingredient like rotisserie chicken along with some basics ( carrots, celery, bell pepper, onion, lettuce, etc), you can end up with 5 healthy meals and avoid fast food. I love that Cat kept saying it was okay to get items already made at the store, such as the rotisserie chicken (yes, I contemplate getting it every time I pass by), can of white beans, and even a bottle of marinara sauce. “It’s not cheating. It’s smart living!” she would say repeatedly. Gosh, I love her for that! Check out the 5 meals we made ALL IN 30 MINUTES!! I went ahead and highlighted the key ingredients for you!
How about getting the kids involved? I’m sure they would love it if you asked! Kids can have fun washing the vegetables, sprinkling in spices, and even adding the finishing touches to each meal! Older kids can help with chopping the veggies and stirring the pot. Again, Cat was showing us her multi-tasking kitchen skills by preparing her dishes simultaneously. It’s amazing how you can take the core ingredients of a recipe, tweak it a bit with some additional ingredients, and make a variety of dishes! We were all so excited to dig in!
So thankful for Cat’s visit and Access for opening my eyes to the magic of smart and simple meal prep! It’ll be a while before you see me pull up to a fast-food restaurant scrambling for dinner plans. I highly recommend checking out Cat’s website for more amazing recipes by clicking here. There you’ll find recipes across all categories easy for your search needs! I’m talking gluten-free, appetizers, desserts, soups, vegan, and so much more!
Cat Cora is a world-renowned chef, author, restaurateur, contributing editor, television host and personality, actress, avid philanthropist, health and fitness expert, lifestyle entrepreneur and proud mother of six. She has opened more than 18 restaurants across the United States and globally, highlighting her platform on health, wellness and sustainability. Outside the kitchen, Cat is best known for her philanthropic efforts. She is the President and Founder of Chefs for Humanity, a non-profit dedicated to reducing hunger worldwide by supporting humanitarian relief and promoting nutrition education.
